


pieces

by skripka



Category: Firefly
Genre: Angst, F/F, M/M, POV River
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-12-26
Updated: 2003-12-26
Packaged: 2019-10-26 04:37:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17739140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skripka/pseuds/skripka
Summary: Sometimes, a thing gets broke, it can't be fixed.





	pieces

Kaylee's strong.

Kaylee's strong and bright and clever and.

Kaylee is weeping.

Heart torn out, shattered in pieces.

Even unintentional pain hurts. Hurts worse than a bullet to the gut, ripping through your insides. Twists and squeezes.

Woman's pain.

Simon really didn't mean it.

It just _happened_.

Sometimes, things happen.

Sometimes, a thing gets broke, it can't be fixed.

Simon loved Kaylee. He was wary, cautious, but he saw her beauty, her strength, her cleverness, her brightness. Simon wanted Kaylee.

Simon had River.

Broken and twisted, sacrifice to twin blue gods of science. 

It was too much. Too much for him to handle.

Mal is broken, too, broken on the inside, but he looks like a pillar of stone on the outside. Hard and lean and demanding, even if bitter like salt.

Mal's a pillar of salt; he can't look away from the shattered chaos his life has become.

Simon thought Kaylee wanted too much, found himself against a pillar and a hard place, and gave in. Two men, desperate for human contact.

It just _happened_.

Kaylee wanted to be strong. Wanted to be happy.

Every single word Simon said, ripping through her gut like a ragged bullet.

Apologies taste bitter.

Kaylee wakes, finds herself gasping for breath, tears and salt pain staining her skin, burning across old scars.

She can't breathe in her bunk.

So, Kaylee leaves the dress and the pillows and the lights and all her pretty things. Sneaks past the Captain's room, eyes and ears and shut off from anything she doesn't want to think about.

Curls up in her hammock, away, alone, _Serenity_ a quiet hum, curled up in agony.

Weeping.

Hurt.

River finds her there, smoothes her hair away, wants to taste a tear. 

River doesn't dare. 

She knows it's all her fault. 

If she hadn't gone to the academy...

If she hadn't written those letters...

If they hadn't boarded _Serenity_...

If she hadn't been so broken.

River wants Kaylee to be bright and strong. She doesn't dare kiss away the tears, sparkling and tempting her tongue.

Guilt is sour.

In the morning, Kaylee will go to Inara for comfort. Inara will gladly give it, taking some of her own back. 

Kaylee's not the only one hurt by salt and wounds.

River will stand back, heart aching, feeling all the pain, the guilt, the pleasure in spite of it all.

All River wants is Kaylee in one piece.

She curls around Kaylee, offering silent comfort. 

Just holding, and holding back.


End file.
